The World Didn't End
by DFM
Summary: Y2K: Real or fake? Discuss.


Title: The World Didn't End  
Author: Devin  
Rating: G  
Category: SR  
Keywords: MSR  
Spoilers: Millennium  
Summary: Y2K: Real or fake? Discuss.  
Disclaimer: Not mine  
Dedication: This fic is written for Jenna. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!  
Author's Note: This isn't beta read so all the mistakes are mine.

Saturday, December 11, 1999 2 Weeks Until Christmas

Snow was lightly falling from the sky as if they were all trapped inside a snow-globe that had been turned upside-down. It was a beautiful sight to behold while looking out of a window. Unfortunately, it was also time to go Christmas shopping so that meant that very few would be able to merely sit by their window and gaze out on the snow coated world.

Scully couldn't hold back the sigh as she lay in her bed looking between the list of presents she had to buy and the outside world. Momentarily she contemplated simply logging on to Amazon for people's presents but quickly realized that although that might work for her brothers' gifts, in most certainly wouldn't for her mother or nephew.

In a last ditch attempt to deny that she had to get up, she rolled over and pulled her comforter over her head.

She had almost succeeded in falling back to sleep when a persistent knock sounded from her front door.

She waited a couple seconds to see if the knocker in question would go away but no such luck, the knocks just got louder. So, grudgingly, she got out of bed and trudged towards the door.

When she opened the door a grinning Mulder in a Santa Clause hat greeted her.

"Hey, Scully," he said in an equally chipper voice, which belied how late they had stayed at work the previous day. "I need your help." He then glanced at her as if something had just caught his eye. "Did I wake you up? It's almost 9:30."

"No you didn't. What do you need help with?"

"Christmas shopping."

She gave him a look of disbelief. "Christmas shopping?"

"Yeah, maybe you've heard of it. Going to a mall or shopping center with a million other people, trying to find the perfect gift for everybody but coming back with something they'll shove into the back of their closet and never see again."

"I have heard of it, Mulder. I didn't, however, think you had."

"You wound me, Scully. Now, are you coming or what?"

"Fine," she said resignedly. "Let me get dress."

DC Mall

As it always is this time of year, the mall proved to be crowded and hectic. Mothers rushing around with crying children, husbands trying to distract their wives as they sneak off to buy their gift, teenage girls giggle over what they should get their boyfriend or best friend, and teenage boys looking out of place in stores they would never go into normally. And in the midst of all this chaos stood a tall tree decorated to precision and the backdrop to where Santa sat with a little child on his lap and an elf taking a picture for the parents who stood to the side trying to get the child to smile.

It felt so... normal.

Mulder noticed that Scully's eyes had wandered to the tree and Santa as he debated with her the best place to start. "You think he's the real Santa?"

"You could always go give his beard a tug and find out."

"Maybe after we're done here." With that he grabbed her hand and dragged her towards one end of the mall.

Surprisingly the day didn't go half bad. They shopped around and joked about the 'perfect' gifts to get people, Mulder had quite an opinion on what to get Bill. Scully couldn't remember when she'd laughed as hard as she had at some of his suggestions.

After a couple hours they decided to take a break and grab some lunch. Since Mulder insisted that she couldn't get a salad and she didn't really feel like arguing with him today they both headed to the pizza line.

"So was this the fiasco you were dreading it would be?" Mulder asked as they sat down.

"No," she acquiesced, "but we haven't uncovered the mystery of Santa over there."

He didn't comment but shook his head and laughed silently.

Later that Night

"You sure you don't mind helping me with this?" Scully asked for the third time since they had started baking.

"If you don't stop asking I just might leave," he said, even though they both knew it was an empty threat. He placed the sheet full of waiting to be baked gingerbread cookies in the oven and walked into the living room. "I'm going to check the news while those are cooking."

Not long after he had said this she heard the theme song to the six o'clock news drift through the house.

"Hello and welcome to the six o'clock news. Tonight's top story: 'Y2K, Are we ready for it?' As thousands of people do their Christmas shopping the threat hanging over their head of the upcoming New Year has put little damper on the holiday spirit. We go to Steve with the story."

"Mulder, find another news show," Scully called to him, having heard enough of the ridiculous New Year propaganda.

She heard the TV click off and Mulder came back into the kitchen, looking quite amused. "Why Agent Scully, I do believe you're skeptical about the Y2K scare." She didn't say anything, just rolled her eyes and continued to decorate the gingerbread men. "You don't think we're all going to die at the stroke of midnight?"

"You could say that," she paused and looked up at him. "I suppose you don't entirely disbelieve it."

He laughed and walked over to her. "If I really believed it, I can think of a couple things I would be doing before 'the end of the world'."

"Oh really? And what..." but her question cut off as their eyes met. And, as seemed to be happening to them more and more frequently recently, they began to lean towards each other.

Of course, at that moment the buzzer went off, signaling that another batch was done, and they sprung apart, not quite meeting each other's eyes.

"I guess we'll just have to wait for New Years," Mulder commented, not clarifying whether he meant for the kiss or to see if the world ended.

January 1, 2000 12:00

As Mulder watched the people on TV celebrating in Time Square his mind couldn't help flashing back to their conversation a couple weeks prior. And this was followed by the thought that there was no timer that was bound to go off at any second.

Scully turned around, probably about to say something, but he didn't give her the chance.

The kiss was the perfect New Years kiss and neither wanted to pull back but knew they had to. They were in a hospital waiting room.

After a brief pause Mulder smiled and said, "The world didn't end."

She returned the smile, recognizing the reference. "No, it didn't."

"Happy New Year, Scully."

"Happy New Year, Mulder."

The End 


End file.
